And firing them or putting them on a PIP is not an option?

Could you flesh out the hypothetical more? This is very broad as stated. What specifically is the goal of the EE realizing their potential (e.g., reach entry-level technical competence)?

Can you clarify if you're asking about trying to correct an inappropriate hiring decision (someone was hired who is not capable of doing the job)? Or are you asking about typical, expected onboarding for someone without much prior professional experience of any kind? Very different situations!

Manage him like everybody else? why would you want to help the potential of only one specific employee? papers are worthless and your company made a big mistake by skipping the coding interview

@dfundako (and Roberto, same conclusion) It does not seem like the kindest strategy, especially given how many posts here blame the manager for failure to adequately recognize what real value a new hire could bring to an organization, and how many posts on that other question, such as the top answer, indicate this lack of specific programming skills shouldn't be a problem. Specific ways to build competence or good ways to finding out what other work they can do well both seem like paths to success. Firing is not seen as success.

@WBT This person got hired through a terrible vetting process and is unable to do the job they are hired to do. What makes you think this person has a grand potential to reach anyway? If they have a degree but can't do anything, does that paint a good picture for this person? They could have cheated their way through school. Put them on a PIP and redo your interview process to make sure there are hands on keyboards for all candidates.

@dfundako In that case, a great Answer would describe a PIP that credibly seems likely to improve performance.

@WBT This is all hypothetical so I won't answer.

@dfundako Comments on question because a great Answer could come from anyone; doesn't have to be you. This is a more common scenario than you apparently think it is. (Do you think the linked-to question is hypothetical as well?)

@WBT A person from a top 5 UK university who retained zero of their course work and education who gets hired with no technical interview whatsoever and the manager brings out their potential through sheer willpower and he/she becomes a great employee? Sounds like a Hallmark channel movie. Or a reverse Good Will Hunting.

@WBT, Don't trust everything you read on StackOverflow. If 95% of the candidates can't pass a coding interview, it stands to reason that 95% of the StackOverflow population can't pass a coding interview either and therefore probably have some sort of resentment against them.

@dfundako Did you miss reading the answers on that other question about all the good things the degree and ability to learn quickly ahead of a test are supposed to represent, which I'm supposed to figure out how to turn into value for the company? It seems like the responses here provide an essential counterpoint to the rosy picture being painted over there.

I've spent the last 20 minutes typing an answer then deleting it, over and over. You're basing your question it on having misinterpreted another question and then adding a bunch of hypotheticals to it. There may be value in what you're trying to ask about but it's really tangled in references, assumptions, and hypotheticals - it's hard to know which level to engage on when answering. If you think the answers to that question (or others) are incorrect, or you have ideas on how people should react in those situations, maybe you should participate on those questions instead of asking a new one.

@WBT, What were their degrees in? Computer Science? Maybe you could ask them to bring in some of the projects they've worked on? If you know what language(s) and what technologies they seem familiar with, maybe you could find a small project that could bridge the gap between what they know and what they need to learn.

@WBT Of course I didn't read it. You are taking a probably fake post, adding more fluff/restrictions/fake news to it, and then posting it here and asking people to say how they would react to it.

It seems like the responses here provide an essential counterpoint to the rosy picture being painted over there Sorry, no. It seems like you're misinterpreting the advice being given on that question. Since you referenced my answer there, I'll respond - no one is trying to tell that OP to fake their way into an inappropriate job. The advice is to recognize your strengths and then find an appropriate job instead of focusing on your weaknesses and worrying about them preventing you from getting a job.

Stephan: Software engineering MS & Computer Science BS. @dwizum I think the answers on the other question, including yours, are too hypothetical & maybe inaccurate regarding the value proposition to a company, from being able to "get things done" and the "valuable skill" of being able to pass tests. How, specifically, can an employer make good use of those "valuable skills?" Someone following your advice there wanted a job in the field, focused on where they wanted to go, got the degrees without much attention to the path on the way. Now, how, concretely, is the value of those skills realized?

@dwizum I should also make explicit that I particularly welcome you posting that answer you've been drafting here. I think editing the other one might also be a good idea because your comment here reads rather different from your answer there.

I'll repeat what I just said: If you have thoughts about that question, you should probably just participate there (comment on answers, or post an answer sharing your different perspective). I've explained my position in that answer, I don't have anything new to say (which is why I deleted my draft here, instead of posting it).

Look at my comment above: no one is trying to tell that OP to fake their way into an inappropriate job. The advice is to recognize your strengths and then find an appropriate job If someone truly does follow that advice, there isn't a problem to solve, and you're asking a question that doesn't need to be asked, because the candidate in question has been hired for a job that's appropriate for their skills.

I think @WBT is trolling everyone at this point and being intentionally argumentative and dense.

@dfundako Have you really never worked with someone who got the job because they were able to sell themselves well in an interview on general ideas plus ability to not get the interview hung up on their weaknesses, such as lack of technical skills to do the specific job at hand? I don't think this is a particularly uncommon workplace situation. I'm not trying to troll - I'm trying to find solutions, strategies, and advice from what other people have found worked before.

What do you mean hiring someone without a coding interview "is not a problem"? I'd consider it very problematic to hire someone only based on their stated credentials without making any effort to verify whether they actually have the skills they claim they do.

@EJoshuaS That discussion is on a linked question and linked questions from that.